Double Crown and the Devil's Sequence

After his name was called, the emotions Baek Woojin felt as he clasped hands with senior Oh Seong-cheol and stepped onto the stage were indescribably ecstatic. Even just receiving the Rookie Actor Award, said to come only once in a lifetime, filled him with boundless gratitude. He never even dreamed he'd also claim the Lead Actor trophy...

While two-time winners including Popularity Awards were common at film festivals, ascending to two pure acting awards as a personal double crown was exceedingly rare. Especially when those were the Rookie ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Award and the festival's crowning jewel, the Lead Actor Award...

Once the reality sank in—that the mere nomination had already delivered a fresh shock and surprise—it left him speechless. "Thank you. I'll work even harder!" Those were the only words to escape Woojin's lips. What more needed saying?

The venue erupted, of course, and the internet buzzed with fervent reactions. The consensus was unanimous: an undisputed result.

The ceremony dazzled to a close, plastering every portal entertainment news main page with Hwangryong Film Festival coverage. Thus, the night of Hwangryong faded away.

After the after-party, Woojin headed straight home. Moonlight pierced the balcony window, illuminating the dark living room. Slumped against the sofa, his body finally relaxed. As the tension ebbed, peace settled over his heart. His gaze lingered on the trophies atop the table. A whirlwind of thoughts surged, emotions intertwining.

Woojin murmured softly, encapsulating it all in a whisper. "Feels like a dream."

Then, "It's heavy."

Honest feelings. Regardless of the soaring elation, the awards' substantial weight pressed down on his shoulders.

With just two works. In a mere two years as a rookie actor by calendar count, he'd etched a career at its maximum—or beyond. They say holding the peak is harder than reaching it. Of course, Woojin had never clung to "position" since starting acting. He'd simply obsessed over "How can I act better?" and run with it, honors following as natural byproducts.

That mindset remained unchanged. But inevitably, an obsession arose like inescapable fate: he had to do even better, show even more.

His once-blank canvas of evaluation began with brushstrokes via Choi Kyu-bo in Wanted. Letters filled in through King Yeonsan in Red Petals. Once Lee Geon-woo in Burnt and Hidden Marks was revealed, it would be one or the other: a complete sentence, or...

'Tear the paper or grind more ink.'

No matter how immersed in acting, this was a profession of display. The burden of evaluation crept under his skin. As he gained more as an actor, those joyously celebrating his success more than him flickered before his eyes.

Thud. As thoughts deepened, Woojin suddenly rose from the sofa, moving the trophies from the table to the display cabinet in the corner. His gaze then shifted to the small frame beside the four trophies lined up. Inside was a photo of his father, beaming brightly.

"Dad."

Woojin smiled faintly. "This time, I'll work harder than ever—fight tooth and nail. Watch over me; I'll show you."

Finishing, he returned to the sofa and picked something up. As always, it was the Burnt and Hidden Marks script. Though night had deepened into dawn, he dove into it, forgetting even to wash. Woojin's time slipped unhesitatingly into Lee Geon-woo's world. His eyes, fixed unwavering on the script, shone brighter and more sparkling than when he'd first begun acting.

"......"

The glory-drenched 2011 receded into memory's depths. 2012 arrived in the blink of an eye. Last year, this year—somehow, he'd spent every year-end and New Year on set. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Guilt filled him for not sharing the time with family, but his mother and sister soothed it with warm cheers and support.

While the world basked in New Year's blessings, "Cut, okay!" the Burnt and Hidden Marks set churned on fiercely, breathlessly unchanged.

Woojin's daily routine was simple: live fully as Lee Geon-woo on set, then huddle overnight with Director Ra over the Burnt and Hidden Marks script back at lodging. Nothing else.

Thus, one day in February. Production (main filming) had crested mid-point into late stages. Now came the grueling scenes they'd ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠prepped for.

Actors and staff alike prioritized safety more than ever. It wasn't exaggeration to say they'd endured three months of firefighter training for this one sequence.

Now, time to pour out every drop of sweat-soaked learning. Excitement swelled in Woojin's chest.

"Next!"

"Scene 67 prep!"

Today's main event(?). Out dubbed the "devil's stretch" among cast—the sequence (unit of connected scenes by time and place) filming was underway.

The scene, refined through dozens of script revisions: firefighters battling a massive wildfire in Inju City, Gangwon Province. Burnt and Hidden Marks' climax.

One hour later. At the set near Central Fire Academy—main shoot site—chroma key backdrop for later CG was installed.

All set. "Scene 67, take 1."

Clack. Slate snapped as expected. "Ready, action!" Director Ra's megaphone flashed.

Simultaneously—

Northern Rescue Team, emergency dispatch! Fire incident near Insi Ridge Tunnel. Suspected ignition from utility pole switchgear. Northern Rescue Team, emergency dispatch!

The dispatch blared through Inju City's Northern Fire Station. Camera angle revealed inferno hellscape—nothing more, nothing less, utterly harrowing.

"What?!"

Lee Geon-woo, crashing for sleep right after day shift ended, bolted upright in shock. The unbelievable news over the phone jolted his heavy eyelids wide. Gangwon Province's Inju City, under gale warning. A spark from a utility pole switchgear across from a gas station near Insi Ridge Tunnel. It became the unforeseen spark of catastrophe.

Riding fierce winds, the tiny spark ignited into a massive wildfire. Breaking news: flames raging over land five times Yeouido's area.

"Heading back now."

Got it. Hee-yeon and I are dispatching. Call on arrival.

"See you soon."

Hanging up, his phone buzzed nonstop with emergency muster texts. Calming unease, Lee Geon-woo rushed to the station.

"No way..."

He couldn't believe his eyes. Unbelievable even seeing it. Rubbing them changed nothing. The entire outer road to the station blazed. Everywhere visible bore fire's grasp.

"Damn..."

Vroooom! He floored the accelerator. Piercing flames, he reached the station, donned gear, boarded the truck.

Near first ignition at Insi Ridge Tunnel past Inju Tollgate. "......?!"

The crisis dwarfed reports. Crimson world everywhere. Nearby: gas stations, power substations, city gas facilities clustered.

"Block it at any cost!"

Crackle... Insi-ro 4-gil, 5-ton truck and sedan collision—transferring 3 survivors!

Whoosh!

Spraaay.

Radios, shouts, hose water mingled in dissonance, muddling his already chaotic mind.

"Ugh!"

Massive blaze escalated to wildfire. In strong winds, not extinguish—contain. Prevent explosions from adjacent hazards. Block spread to limit range. One blast, and Inju becomes worse hell.

Lee Geon-woo, Won Jong-su, Moon Hee-yeon—all firefighters desperately contained flames.

"Cut!"

Director Ra bellowed. Before all-green chroma key, actors who'd poured souls facing real flames finally relaxed clenched faces, exhaled.

Leads and newbie firefighter trainees as extras—cameras captured their vivid expressions. So immersed, Woojin belatedly noticed blood trickling from his bitten lip.

"Extras' acting is outstanding! No awkwardness even if mistaken for real firefighters. Keep it up!"

"Yes!"

Clap clap clap clap clap.

The trainees' performances exceeded expectations. Realistic from real firefighters, sure—but non-actors unfamiliar with acting, cameras? A worry.

Yet it proved unfounded; their faces brimmed with life. What to call it? From cranking in, all set acting felt real—but today especially, a method acting feast overflowed.

"Um, Woojin-ssi?"

Filming-rest cycle. On camera, colleagues locking eyes as firefighters; off,

"Yes?"

"If okay, could we take a photo together?"

Rest time, shy fans inevitably. Woojin gladly obliged, joy filling him. Yoon Mal-geum-sae and Kwon Hyeok-jin joined for photo time.

Amid grueling shoots, atmosphere stayed warmer than ever.

Meanwhile, script's Inju wildfire hurtled toward conclusion.

Final shot. Woojin's emotional explosion.

"......"

Set fell silent. Extraordinary aura from immersed Woojin drew all ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠eyes.

Standing marked spot, staring blankly into void, Woojin soon murmured lowly,

"Ready."